Groundwater quality assessment: A physicochemical properties of drinking water in a rural setting of developing countries

Abstract

This study determined and characterized the quality of underground water in Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira District (THLDD) of the central region of Ghana. The research involved the determinations of levels of copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) (using mixed acid microwave digestion with Varian AA-240FS Atomic Absorption Spectrometer) and other physico-chemical properties of well water samples. About 40% of the pH values were below the WHO recommended minimum allowable value of 6.5 whiles most of the physical parameters fell within the recommended guideline values of WHO. Elevated concentrations of Fe, Zn and Mn were found in all the water samples. In general, the water quality of the studied wells can be said to be fairly good with respect to the monitored elements and physicochemical characteristics except for iron which needs some form of treatment before use. Therefore, most of the water from these wells is suitable for domestic use and it is unlikely to pose a major health risk to consumers. This research may serve as a reference data for future studies on the assessment of well water quality in the study Canadian Journal on Scientific & Industrial Research Vol. 2, No. 3, March 2011 area which depends heavily on these groundwater sources as a means of their portable water supply